More than 30 percent of youth in cities skipped breakfast. Urban adolescents with high socioeconomic status, and girls, reported more often that they ate snacks and most food groups.More than half of the youths had a protein intake below recommendations.

Twenty-six percent of young people had a fat intake below recommendations, and one fourth had a fat intake above recommendations. A Major proportion of the teenagers had an intake of micronutrients that was below the recommended level. Boys and youths with low socioeconomic status reported higher energy burning and physical activity than girls and youths with high socioeconomic status. Both under-and over-reporting of energy intake was common among the youths.The study shows that nutritional deficiency, stunting, and obesity as well as excess weight were common among teenagers in Cameroon. It is therefore necessary to set up preventive programs targeting both over- and undernourished school children. Such a program needs to take into account gender and socioeconomic differences.Source: Ume University in Sweden